The co-chair of the Travers Fellowship Steering Committee, Carleton University's Susan Harada of the School of Journalism and Communication, and Patrick Travers, son of James Travers, announced on March 16 that Tom Fennario, a senior video journalist with APTN News' investigative unit, has been awarded this year's $25,000 R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship. The Fellowship is administered by Carleton and annually supports a significant international reporting project by Canadian journalists or journalism students.
Fennario's winning application will provide an in-depth look at how First Nations in Canada could play a larger role in mitigating severe wildfires. His planned field work will take him to Australia, Oregon and Bolivia, where he will investigate what can be learned from Indigenous practises in those regions.
"Tom notes that Indigenous people in Canada are disproportionally affected by wildfires," Susan Harada said, "and his research suggests multiple benefits could result from offering Indigenous people an integral role in mitigating those fires. This is happening in other countries and Tom Fennario believes Canada can learn from their approaches."
"While probing various international on-the-ground policies and practises is key to this story, the civil society angle and the impact on Canada is just as important," Patrick Travers added. "That's why Tom Fennario aims to deliver journalism that will be compelling and interesting to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada."
"For health, economic, and environmental reasons, how wildfires can be mitigated is a question all Canadians should want answers to," Tom Fennario said. "Now with the help of the R. James Travers Foreign Corresponding Fellowship, APTN Investigates will be able to search for global solutions to what has become a very local problem."
Tom Fennario plans to be in the field by early summer when the dry season begins. Given variables such as weather and the extent of the wildfires, he expects this phase of his work to stretch into the coming fall. His documentary will air in late November, followed by a series of articles, a podcast, and additional social media content.
The Fellowship was established in 2011 in honour of James Travers, a former editor, political columnist, and foreign correspondent who deeply believed in the value of international journalism. As the latest recipient of the award, Tom Fennario said he is thrilled and honoured to be selected. He thanks the Fellowship jury for believing in both his project and his ability to deliver journalism that stays true to the Fellowship principles, including work that demonstrates insightful analysis and creative storytelling.
About Tom Fennario
Born and raised in Montreal, Tom Fennario cut his teeth working in community television in Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory before joining APTN National News as a cameraman/editor in 2008. In 2015 he was promoted to the position of Video Journalist. His subsequent work was nominated for two Canadian Association of Journalists awards. In 2023 he joined the APTN News Investigates team and has since been nominated for a Canadian Screen award. He was recently the co-recipient of the Amnesty International Canada Media Award for best Long Form Video.
About James Travers
James Travers worked as the Southam News correspondent in Africa and the Middle East during the 1980s covering major stories - from apartheid in South Africa and the Ethiopian famine to the conflict in Lebanon and the Iran-Iraq war. Returning to Canada, he continued an influential career as general manager of Southam News, editor of the Ottawa Citizen, executive managing editor of the Toronto Star and finally as an award-winning national affairs columnist known for his compassion and playful wit.
He believed Canadians deserve first-hand, in-depth coverage of important stories outside our borders. He argued passionately that it is crucial for Canadian reporters to "bear witness" - because in our interconnected world, foreign news is local news.
